Five students were arrested and three police officers injured last week as protesters and police clashed at York University during a demonstration against the inauguration of US president George W. Bush. The January 20 incident has further aggravated the already stormy relationship between York administrators and the university’s student groups.
“There was a peaceful demonstration on campus,” said Omari Mason, president of the York Federation of Students, the university’s main student union. “The demonstration was happening in a place that the university had deemed unauthorized for demonstrations, so police were called and then police initiated violence with these students. We have video evidence and physical evidence of this violence and the fact that the police initiated it.”
This evidence, a handheld video by one of the protesters, shows Toronto police restraining and arresting several demonstrators in the main foyer of Vari Hall, a large atrium in one of York’s main buildings. The protesters represent a group called the Grass Roots Anti-Imperialist Network (GRAIN).
Toronto police said that they did not start the violence.
“Three…officers were injured after being attacked by several peace and anti-war demonstrators at York University this afternoon,” said Toronto police. “It was highly ironic and regrettable that the officers whose sole purpose was to watch over a peaceful anti-war demonstration were subjected to any violence,” Chief Julian Fantino said.
During the fracas, two police officers received minor injuries after being punched in the head and another had hot coffee poured on him, police reported. One protester, Nicholas Birtig, 19, was taken to hospital for his injuries. All five of the arrested protesters-Birtig, Gregory Bird, Erin Gray, Konstantine Kilibarda, and Alissa Watt-were detained in a room in an adjacent building before being transferred to 31 Division custody. Kilibarda alleged that it was during this time that the officers beat Birtig.
“They started hitting him repeatedly and when he lifted his head, it was just covered in blood,” Kilibarda told York’s The Excalibur.
The five are charged with assaulting and obstructing police. Bird is further charged with attempting to take an officer’s gun.
“I’ve seen the video,” said Sam Rahimi, VP External on U of T’s Students’ Administrative Council. “It’s absolutely disgusting.”
“It’s completely unnecessary for this to be happening on Canadian campuses,” Rahimi added. SAC passed a motion at its Monday meeting condemning the arrests and pledged $250 for a defence fund if one was requested.
The Varsity contacted York University administrators for comment, but was referred to three press releases issued by the university last week.
“Violent acts were initiated by the protesters against police,” York officials said. “Due to these events the university wishes to reaffirm its policy of non-disruption of classes to allow students and faculty to pursue their studies in a peaceful and safe learning environment. Protests are not permitted in Vari Hall due to the inevitable disruption of classes.”
“Universities are a place for free speech,” said Jesse Greener, Ontario Chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students. “We don’t believe-as the York administration did-that calling in the police to break up a non-violent situation [was] called for.” The CFS also passed a measure at its weekend meeting encouraging its member schools to write letters to York condemning the use of force and demanding that the university drop the charges.
“The York administration have many options at their disposal,” Greener continued. “They have options in determining the situation, they have options that they can use that don’t include escalating the situation by calling in the police. Our concern is that their first instinct is to use the most extreme measures they have to deal with a situation.”
“Toronto police were brought in to address the situation,” York said. “The police peacefully and repeatedly asked the protesers to leave but some of the protesters became violent and at least one officer was assaulted. York University condemns the use of violence to further political objectives and reaffirms its commitment to the Canadian values of tolerance and respect for others.”
While the January 20 protest comprised about 30 people, about a thousand York students crowded into the same space on January 21 to protest the administration’s handling of the incident, and Mason said the protests have become daily events in Vari Hall.
“The university has not given any alternatives for students to assemble and to speak, or to demonstrate” said Mason. “So how can the university say they allow free speech and free assembly? That is their policy, but they have deemed all these places inaccessible for such. Indirectly, they’re saying ‘no, you don’t have the right to free speech and free assembly.’
“You can’t just support that right on paper. You have to be free to exercise it.”
